Our Baby
by laurendee
Summary: A missing scene from "The Distance" when Sandy comes home from Portland and tells Kirsten that Seth is staying there.


DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything.

I decided to write a scene which I felt was missing from the first episode of season 2. Its when Sandy comes back from Portland to tell Kirsten that Seth is staying there. Let me know what you think.

"Are you sure you don't need any help? You know I could move some stuff out of your way or clean up or something," Kirsten asked out of nowhere.

"Kirsten, we're fine. You should just sit down, calm down. Don't get your hopes up." Archie was talking about the fact that Sandy was on his way to try and convince Seth to come home, or, as Kirsten put it, to bring him back for good.

"I know, I know. It's just that he's been gone all summer. Do you know what its like to have your baby runaway? Do you know what its like to have your baby tell you that he isn't coming home? Do you know what it makes me feel like?"

"Kirsten, stop," Archie said kindly, "Not to sound mean or anything but I've got a job to finish," he said, motioning to the mess behind him, "you know I've heard you and Sandy argue about this for the last month. You don't need to tell me the story again."

"Sorry, I know, I've been complaining a lot and I shouldn't even be talking to you about this but it's just that..."

Kirsten was cut off by the sound of the phone ringing. Archie sighed of relief. While he felt bad for Kirsten and Sandy, his construction crew had been running behind on renovating the Cohens' house after running into some problems and having to reorder supplies, and the company was losing projects as they wasted more time than they had planned to spend on the Cohens' house. Truthfully, Archie didn't want to get involved in the Cohens' personal business. Besides, he was sure that if he ever took one of their sides he would never hear the end of it from the other person.

"Sandy?"

"Hey I'm here..." Sandy said not too confidently.

"And? Tell me you talked to him and you both are coming home now!" Kirsten said sternly, interrupting him.

"Not quite. Not yet. Honey I'm trying my best here. It could take some time."

"How _much_ time?"

"How am I supposed to know? You asked me to come here and try to get him to come home. I wasn't aware that there was a time limit as to how long I had to bring him back."

"He's had enough time to think about whatever he needed to think about. I mean it Sandy. You and him, back here tonight."

Kirsten never got her wish that night. Instead she was sitting alone in bed crying. It had become almost a routine of crying every night. For the last 17 years Kirsten had always went to tuck her baby in and kiss him good night. Although the last few years Seth had objected to Kirsten kissing him so she would just come say good night and fluff his pillows, but nonetheless she still was tucking her baby in. This whole summer she didn't get to do that and it hurt her. She knew her baby was growing up but she was trying to hold on as long as possible before he grew up and went to college, and eventually had his own family. Never did she think he would grow up this fast, nor did she want him to and nor was she ready for it.

Meanwhile, Sandy went to bed that night thinking about how similar he and his son were. One thing that was different, he thought, was that his relationship with his son was good. He remembered the rough relationship he had with his mother when he left and the little, if any relationship he had with his father. He was so glad that his relationship with his son wasn't like his with his parents. He understood where Seth was coming from as not so long ago he was in the same shoes.

Sandy got up that day with a new take on the situation. He hoped that he could explain it to Kirsten.

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Kirsten hadn't heard from Sandy since that phone call yesterday and it was starting to get late. After what seemed like hours, she finally heard Sandy's car pulling up in the driveway. She hoped that the reason he hadn't called was that her baby was going to surprise her and come home.

She got up and opened the front door. "Seth?"

"Sandy," Sandy replied cheerfully.

"Sandy? Where is he?"

Sandy got his suitcase out of the trunk and walked over to Kirsten. "He's safe."

"What? Sandy where is he? Why is he not with you!" she said more angrily.

"Kirsten come on inside. Let me explain this to you."

"The only thing I want you to explain to me why he's not with back. But he's okay. I'll tell you why I'm okay with this."

"I don't want to know why you're okay with it, I want to know why he's not here!" Before he had a chance to respond and after she had a chance to think about what he just said, she said, "What do you mean you're okay with it? You permitted him to stay there? How could you do that!"

"Kirsten I understand why he ran away. All this time I was focusing on...well...your reaction to his running away and forgetting about what I thought, and I realized something...Seth is me...he's me when I was his age and you know what...I don't regret running away. Look how far I got. Maybe this is good for him. He seems so much more grown up in just a few months time."

"Sandy what's wrong with you? I don't care if you think he's grown up! That's not the issue! The issue is..." she began to cry and turned around.

"What?" he asked more calmly.

"He's our baby...I'm not ready for him to go out into the world yet. I'm not even sure I'd be ready for him to move out when he's 18."

"That's only a year away."

"That's a year more of watching him grow up," she said more calmly, reminiscing about the past. Then she suddenly got agitated again and said, "No, Sandy, no, I'm not allowing this. You have to bring him back. Just because you turned out okay after running away doesn't mean that he will. I want you to go back and tell him you thought it over and that you realized you're wrong and that home is where he belongs!"

"No way! I'm not wrong! Have you ever thought that maybe you are? You know what? It's your idea, why don't you get up and go to Portland. You should have went in the first place since apparently you have all the answers!"

"Fine!"

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Sandy never thought Kirsten would have gone to Portland. He was just angry by her comments and snapped. Truthfully he didn't want her to go because she hadn't been emotionally stable and he was scared that she would be worse after speaking to Seth in person.

He knew right away when she came home that it hadn't gone her way. He could have figured that out a mile away as her red puffy eyes stuck out like a sore thumb. He quickly ran up to her and took her in his arms. She accepted his embrace and cried. Later that night she got angry at him again. This pattern of crying and anger continued everyday. Between the crying and anger fits, Sandy and Kirsten did their everyday routine. Some of the routine was never the same, like eating dinner without Seth and Ryan.

It had been a week since Sandy went to Portland. He and Kirsten were eating dinner in pretty much silence, as usual, except for a few words exchanged here and there. But tonight, everything was about to change. Everything Kirsten had hoped for was about to come true. Her family would be together again before she would bring out dessert.

So...what do you think? If you review and enjoyed it, maybe I'll write another chapter. I have another idea of how to continue this a bit further. Let me know. It's up to you.


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